Harry: "Why didn't you tell me you're a Squib, Mrs Figg? All those times I came round your house - why didn't you say anything?"

Mrs Figg: "Dumbledore's orders. I was to keep an eye on you but not say anything, you were too young. I'm sorry I gave you such a miserable time, Harry, but the Dursleys would never have let you come if they'd thought you enjoyed it. It wasn't easy, you know…"

Between the wars

Arabella Figg lived in a Muggle community, working undercover for the Order of the Phoenix. Most of her job involved watching Harry Potter and ensuring that no harm came to him from Lord Voldemort. During times when the Dursley family went on holiday, they left Harry Potter with Mrs Figg, who once gave him an ancient chocolate cake as a "treat," but most often bored him senseless with pictures of her part-kneazle cats.[3] She made sure he didn't particularly enjoy his time with her, and took care never to reveal her heritage to either Harry or the Dursleys, to ensure that the Dursleys would not withdraw Harry from her care.[4]

Second Wizarding War

Rebirth of Tom Riddle

"Sirius, I need you to set off at once. You are to alert Remus Lupin, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher - the old crowd. Lie low at Lupin's for a while; I will contact you there."

—Albus Dumbledore starts spreading the world of Voldemort's return.[src]

Dementors in Little Whinging

Mrs Figg attends Harry's trial in 1995

In 1995, Harry and his cousin Dudley were attacked by dementors in Little Whinging. Figg sensed the distinct presence of the Dementors and despite, as a Squib, being unable to actually see them, she was still able to describe the Dementors in front of the Wizengamot during Harry's trial. Not trusting Mundungus Fletcher to effectively fulfill his duties of following and protecting Harry, she charged Mr Tibbles with the task,[4] and upon discovering Mundungus had abandoned his post, she eventually tracked Harry and his cousin Dudley down herself, to discover they had just barely survived a dementor attack. As the three walked back to the Dursleys, with Harry half carrying Dudley, she revealed that she was not a Muggle, as previously believed, but a Squib, and moreover, a member of the Order of the Phoenix. Before returning Harry to Privet Drive, she apologized for the way she had been forced to treat him while he was growing up.[4]

Harry Potter's trial

Mrs Figg was also a witness at Harry's trial before the Wizengamot, regarding his unauthorised use of magic as an underaged wizard. She arrived in her bedroom slippers, and her description of the Dementors was unimpressive, as she described them as "big and wearing cloaks." However, she ultimately managed to convince Amelia Bones and various other unbiased members of the Wizengamot with her accurate description of a Dementor's presence. Despite Cornelius Fudge's attempts to discredit her on the basis of being a Squib, Mrs Figg, along with Albus Dumbledore, managed to persuade the Ministry to clear Harry of all charges.[4]

Battle of Hogwarts

As she could not fight due to her lack of magic, it is unknown if she participated in the Battle of Hogwarts, though she may have assisted or aid the fighters along with Argus Filch and Madame Pomfrey in some non-magical capacity.

Later life

It is most likely that she survived the Second Wizarding War, and maintained her involvement in the "roaring trade" of cross-bred kneazles and cats.

Physical Appearance

Arabella Figg is described as a batty old woman with grizzled grey fly away hair, almost always seen wearing a hairnet and tartan carpet slippers.[4]

Personality and traits

In Harry Potter's youth, the Dursleys left him in Mrs Figg's care at least once a year,[7] and during their time together, she given to making him look endlessly at photos of "all the cats she'd ever owned".[3] In 1995, she admitted that, though she didn't enjoy it, she had intentionally kept Harry bored and miserable, as the Dursleys would never have left him with her if they thought he enjoyed it. Though Harry only thought of her as his "batty old cat-obsessed neighbour"[4] before discovering she was a Squib, she appeared to be a clever woman with a bit of a temper. She physically attacked Mundungus Fletcher when he left his post of watching Harry Potter, and prior to that, had been quite sarcastic, even slightly insulting, during her conversation with Harry. She appeared nervous, even timid, during Harry's disciplinary hearing, though that was likely due to the stigma surrounding being a Squib, as well as the fact that she had to testify before the entire Wizengamot. Regardless, she was a brave, vigorous woman, who, despite her lack of magical ability, did her best to support the Order of the Phoenix.

Mrs Figg was tasked with watching over Harry Potter after he was sent to live in Little Whinging, and the Dursleys regularly left Harry with her when they wanted to exclude him from their outings.[3] Though it was difficult for her to have to do so, she made sure to show Harry an incredibly dull time, knowing the Dursleys would otherwise never leave Harry in her care. In 1995, Harry learned that Mrs Figg was a Squib when Mundungus Fletcher failed to fulfill the duty he was given of following and protecting Harry, leaving Harry and his cousin Dudley to be attacked by dementors. Mrs Figg also testified in Harry's defence during his trial before the Wizengamot, and later attended Albus Dumbledore's funeral.[6] It is possible that Harry and Figg remained in contact after the Second Wizarding War.[4]

Dursley family

Mrs Figg's relationship with the Dursley family is largely unknown, though they evidently thought she was no different from their other neighbours, as they allowed her to take care of Harry occasionally while they were gone. In 1995, Mrs Figg apologised to Harry for deliberately making his earlier visits as boring as possible, since she believed that if he'd actually enjoyed himself, the Dursleys would have stopped letting her look after him from time to time.

She was also quite familiar with Mundungus Fletcher, a petty criminal and member of the Order, who addressed Mrs Figg as "Figgy." When Mundungus left Little Whinging to purchase stolen cauldrons in favour of watch over Harry Potter, Figg was furious; she both verbally and physically assaulted him, whacking him with a shopping bag full of canned cat food and calling him a "useless, skiving sneak thief".[4]

Media

Etymology

Figg may be variation of fig, a fruit-bearing tree. In Biblical times, the fig tree was important to Roman and Hebrew cultures as a valuable source of food and medicinal ingredients, and its flowering signified the end of winter.

In addition, fig leaves are associated with concept of a "poorly concealed secret," with common usage in classical sculptures and paintings of nudes.[8] This may be a reference to the fact that Mrs Figg was a Squib concealing herself as a Muggle, which was arguably poorly done, given her reputation of being quite eccentric.

The tent that Mr Weasley borrowed for the 1994Quidditch World Cup reminded Harry of Mrs Figg's house: crocheted covers on mismatched chairs and a strong smell of cats.

In the book, Mrs Figg is depicted as bitter, making slightly insulting comments to Harry and Dudley, and even going as far as to physically attack Mundungus Fletcher with bags full of canned cat food. In the movie however, she only makes one somewhat insulting comment towards Harry, questioning his intelligence when it had not occurred to him that Dumbledore would have him watched after Voldemort's return. She also hardly shows any sign of rage toward Mundungus, while in the book she goes into a fierce tirade about him.

Although Figg makes her first true appearance in both the book and film versions of Order of the Phoenix, the omission of earlier references to her in the films makes the revelation of her being a Squib working for Dumbledore somewhat sudden.

While there are no direct references to a "Mr Figg," the fact that Arabella is consistently referred to as "Mrs Figg" may indicate that she has a husband who is simply never mentioned, or from whom she is estranged; it's also possible that she is a widow.

It is interesting to note that while Dumbledore tells Sirius to round up "the old crowd" during the conclusion of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, he specifically mentions Arabella Figg.[9] Much like the Thestrals, Harry doesn't make the connection until the next book.

In the consoles versions of LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7, Figg was omitted from the cutscenes despite being a playable character. In the portable versions however, she does not appear.

Mrs Figg is incorrectly referred to as a Muggle in her entry on the glossary on the Scholastic official website, though this may have been an intentional "error" to avoid spoiling the plot point of her being a Squib.